Shea tells district innovation school campaigns have no place in class

NEW BEDFORD — As the district's final decision on innovation schools draws closer, debate has spilled into the classroom, disrupting students in class in at least one case, according to interim Superintendent Mike Shea.

NEW BEDFORD — As the district's final decision on innovation schools draws closer, debate has spilled into the classroom, disrupting students in class in at least one case, according to interim Superintendent Mike Shea.

Shea said he had received one complaint from a teacher that efforts to collect signatures for a union-led petition opposed to the proposals interrupted her class time.

"Maybe it's an isolated situation but ... I figured I'd address it right away," said Shea, who emailed staff Monday to say that "interrupting a class, a meeting or pressuring others to sign any petition is inappropriate and unacceptable."

Shea also said one parent had complained about a home visit from proponents of the innovation schools.

"I just said 'Be careful that you're not intruding on anybody,'" Shea said, adding, "It was after hours. I don't think it was affecting school time, school learning."

The School Committee will vote in April on two proposals, which would establish a bilingual immersion Esperanza Innovation School of Language and Culture and a Renaissance Community School for the Arts.

The schools are part of the district but receive autonomies in areas such as budget and curricular design.

New Bedford Educators Association President Lou St. John said he has not received any complaints about interrupted class time but is aware of Shea's email.

"I have not received one phone call from one teacher in any building stating that they were disrupted at all, so I don't know where that comes from," he said.

The union instructs teacher representatives to use breaks or time before or after school to collect signatures for the petition, which has drawn "hundreds" of signatures, he said.

"We know that most of our members are not in support of this and this is something we want to present to the School Committee," St. John said, adding that he felt Shea's email should have also addressed the home visit.

Jennifer Clune, one of the design team members of the Renaissance School, said they have been doing outreach to parents to provide information about the proposal.

"We've received 100 percent excitement about the schools, not only from parents whose children would attend the schools but from other parents with young children who are thinking about the possibilities for their child's school if we begin this type of process in the district," she said.

Clune said she was aware of the complaint about the home visit but added "I'm not really sure what it's referring to."